BREATHE EASY

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USATODAYSPECIALEDITION

Air on planes is safer than in homes or operating rooms

By Chris Woodyard

looked at the impact on multiple “breath- reduce viral exposure. In fact, the study cabin air is recirculated. ing zones” throughout the aircraft. More found that contamination in the aircraft “The 767 and 777 both removed 2020 STUDY CONDUCTED than 11,500 breathing zone seat measure- was less than what is found in private particulate 15 times faster than a home ...

Afor the Department of ments were taken with releases from 46 residences. and five to six times faster than recomDefense adds credence different seats. With the airflow from ceiling to floor, mended design specifications for modern to the growing belief that “The reality is those tests “There is no place indoors that hospital operating or patient isolation airline passengers are not are indicative of what hap- it is anywhere close to that” rooms,” according to the study. likely to contract COVID-19 when flying. pens on every airplane. An air- when it comes to limiting Tests were conducted by placing

The study found the risk of aerosol dis- craft is just a remarkably safe the spread of the virus, Kirby instruments that can measure particles persion was reduced 99.7 percent thanks environment,” says United says. He urged other airlines in proximity to a simulated sick pasto high air exchange rates, HEPA-filtered Airlines CEO Scott Kirby . to emulate United’s policy senger. The study took masks into recirculation and downward ventilation The study’s team included of making sure power units consideration, factoring that passengers found on modern jets. members from United, Boeing, operate in a way that allows might be wearing the type of surgical

Investigators looked at the impact of the University of Nebraska passengers to take advantage masks handed out by airlines. an infected passenger on those seated Medical Center , National of aircraft ventilation systems Airline bookings dropped sharply nearby in the cabins of Boeing 767s Strategic Research Institute while still at the gate. after COVID-19 started infecting millions and 777s . Those two aircraft types are and other research firms. Kirby also urged passengers around the world in the belief that spendwide-bodies typically used for long-haul It was prepared for the U.S. to make sure that their ing hours in cabins in close proximity to flights where a virus could be expected to Transportation Command and overhead vents are fully other passengers could easily spread the spread more easily. the Air Force’s Air Mobility open during their flights to virus.

To test the exposure risk for Command. maximize air circulation. Carriers have tried to allay passengers’ passengers sitting near an infected The study reinforces the message On most planes, the air exchange rate concerns and protect aircrew members’ person, researchers released fluorescent that airlines have been trying to convey is approximately every three minutes, health by requiring masks, mandating tracer aerosols representing the droplets that HEPA filters and high turnover and 75 percent comes from outside the social distancing and instituting other released by exhaling or coughing and rates of airflow in passenger cabins plane, meaning that only 25 percent of precautions.

TIP: During air travel, keep the vents above your seat open at all times to improve ventilation.

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